Page 39 of Crimson Shadows
He pauses, his gaze intensifying. “Be warned: the labyrinth is filled with illusions and traps. Trust your instincts, but more importantly, trust each other. You have until sunset to complete your quest.”
With a wave of his hand, a shimmering portal appears to our left. Through it, I can see the entrance to what must be the Labyrinth - a towering arch of dark stone, beyond which lies an impenetrable mist.
“Good luck,” Blackthorn says, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “And remember, in Carthage, we rise to every challenge.”
Corvus turns to me, his blue eyes gleaming with excitement. “Shall we, partner?”
I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. “Partner? Since when?”
He shrugs. “Might as well buddy up. Haven’t you noticed we are the only two vampires in the House this year?”
I glance around but come up empty. I can’t tell a vampire from a shifter in human form. “Wonder why that is?” I murmur.
“Oh, I can think of a few good reasons,” Corvus murmurs back. “Shall we?” He bows slightly, letting me pass to step through the portal behind everyone else.
The magick tingles against my skin when we pass under the stone arch, the mist swirling around us, cool and damp. The portal winks out of existence behind us, leaving us alone in the ghostly silence of the Labyrinth.
“Well,” Corvus says, his voice unnaturally loud in the stillness, “this is cosy.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m grateful for his attempt at humour. The oppressive atmosphere of the place is already starting to get to me.
We move forward, the mist parting reluctantly before us, only to close in again behind. The walls of the Labyrinth loom on either side, made of the same dark stone as the entrance arch.They seem to absorb what little light there is, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead.
“Hey!” I say suddenly. “Where is everyone else?”
Corvus looks around, eyes narrowed. “It’s separated us.”
“And why would it do that?” I snap, my anxiety growing that this idiot Labyrinth has forced me into solitary close proximity with a creature I don’t trust one bit.
He shrugs again, unconcerned. “Let’s focus on the quest, yeah? This is now a race to find the chalice first.”
“So it split us up on purpose? How is that teamwork?”
He doesn’t answer me, his eyes scanning our surroundings.
“Any ideas on how to navigate this place?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
“In a normal maze, I’d say we should keep one hand on the wall and follow it. But something tells me this place doesn’t play by normal rules.”
As if to prove his point, the wall to our right suddenly shifts, melting away to reveal a new passage.
“Okay,” I mutter, “that’s disconcerting.”
“Still got that compass on you, Dollie?”
“Nope.”
“Didn’t think so. Come on,” Corvus says determinedly. “Let’s keep moving. Standing still won’t get us anywhere.”
We press on, taking turns seemingly at random. The Labyrinth is constantly changing around us, passages appearing and disappearing, sometimes even as we’re walking through them. It’s dizzying and more than a little terrifying.
After what feels like hours of wandering, we turn a corner and find ourselves face-to-face with... ourselves.
I blink, startled. It’s like looking into a mirror, except the reflection is moving independently. The other Adelaide and Corvus are staring at us with the same surprised expressions I’m sure we’re wearing.
“What the fuck?” I blurt out.
Corvus hisses. “It’s an illusion. Don’t engage with it.”
